a personal record of how different forms of media and their content affect me (a college student)

The new “90201” spin-off started on the cw network Sept. 2 and I watched the pilot for old times’ sake to see if this new one would be any good. “90210” was really popular before I was old enough to watch it, but I remember watching reruns of it after school when I was in middle school (and thinking i was pretty cool).

90210

This new show is flashy and edgy and not nearly as corny as the original (but close), and of course, it’s much racier. To be honest, I was not watching the show intently, but I had it on as background noise and happened to look up during a scene that literally blew me away, no pun intended. The scene is of the two siblings, Annie and Dixon, that have just moved to Beverly Hills, going to their first day of school. Annie sees someone she knows, Ethan, and catches him getting a blow job in a car outside of school. School hasn’t even started yet, it must be 7:30 in the morning! The school scene starts just over four minutes into the clip.

This show has a rating of TV-14 (which technically means it in intended for 15+), and I am astounded that the producers would include such a blatantly implied sexual act, that is totally unnecessary. Especially if this show is created for 15+ year-olds, there are definitely tweens younger than 15 watching, because they know its the cool show to watch. I was in 8th grade when I was 14 and although I would have killed to be cool and watch this show, I’m fairly certain that I wasn’t even positive what a blow job was, granted I was extremely sheltered, but it was also something that I didn’t need to know about at that age. My parents never would have let me watch this show as a 14-year-old, and although I would have hated them for it then, I can understand now because there is definitely too much sex on TV, geared towards younger and younger audiences. I was shocked and somewhat offended (now I sound like my mother) at the “90210” scene because these actors are portraying young teenagers, so much sex is implied and it’s sending out a message to young teens that they can have lots of sex without responsibility.

i understand that newer shows have to be better than the shows before and the ones they’re competing with, but it’s a shame that sex has to be used further and further to push the envelope. interestingly enough, the new “90210” got great ratings.

I’m not saying I don’t watch TV that contains sexual content (considering it is basically impossible to do so). “Sex and the City” is one of my all-time favorite shows, but it is on HBO, a channel that I pay extra for on my cable, and it has a high rating, intended for adults.

The CW network is not on basic cable, but it is included in the standard cable that most families have. Sex is not something that should be hidden or something to be embarrassed about, however it is a personal, private act that should at least be respected, and I feel that the immeasurable amount of sex on TV and in the media has caused many, even including myself, to lose respect for it.